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Students, shopkeepers harassed during SAD rally
Tribune News Services

Kharar, March 20
Two motorcycle-borne miscreants opened fire on a 26-year-old commission agent at local Sabji Mandi today.

The victim, identified as Paramjit Singh who runs Param Fruit Company in the market, received a bullet injury in his left arm and was shifted to the Government Medical College Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh. His condition is stated to be stable.

Mohali SSP Gursharan Singh Sandhu, who reached the spot, said the incident occurred at around 8 pm when the victim went to answer the nature’s call behind his shop. “He was on phone when two motorcycle-borne persons shot at him and fled from the scene,” said the SSP.

“Some persons also ran behind the attackers but they managed to flee,” said a shopkeeper.

The police have recovered the empty shell of the bullet from the spot. The police said the victim stated that he did not know who the attackers were. “As there was no loot or snatching, it seemed to be a case of personal enmity,” said SSP Sandhu.

The Mohali police said the victim was facing some police cases. He was an accused in a gang-rape case also, the police added. “Investigations are on. We will soon nab the attackers,” he said.

Panchkula, March 20
The arrest of the truck driver in the Jyoti murder case came under scanner today when two police officials gave contradictory statements before the court during cross-examination.

As per the prosecution, Tilak Raj was the driver of the truck used to crush Jyoti’s head in order to make the case appear as an accident.

The truck was specially called from Baddi allegedly by Doon MLA Ram Kumar Chaudhary and his aides, claimed the prosecution.

The defence counsels said while Sub-Inspector (SI) Janak Raj said they never caught hold of Tilak Raj before he was arrested on January 16, the then investigating officer, Inspector Deepak Kumar, said before the formal arrest, Tilak Raj was apprehended on January 14 and was let off later.

“The contradictions surfaced during the cross-examination. Inspector Deepak said Tilak Raj was apprehended before his arrest but prima facie, when he was not found involved, they let him go,” said defence counsels Amandeep Bindra and AS Sukhija.

Inspector Malkiat Singh, SHO, Sector 5 police station, told the court that after the reports of hair samples, seat covers and blood-tainted clothes received from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Madhuban were found to be inconclusive, they sent them for re-examination to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Chandigarh and a Delhi-based institute. He said the reports were yet to come.

Arun K Mauraya, on whose name a mobile number was issued, supported the prosecution and informed the court that he never got any number issued.

Chandigarh, March 20
In a significant judgment, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today sentenced two tenants to three months simple imprisonment in a contempt of court case. The two have also been directed by Justice Mahesh Grover to pay Rs 2 lakh each.

The order sentencing Jai Pal Singh Sibia and Ajay Kumar Jain came on a petition filed by owners Ashwani Kumar Bansal and another petitioner. In the case, SCO Number 322 in Sector 35 B, along with its basement was in possession of Jagjit Singh Sibia, the father of present contemner.

The basement portion was surrendered in 2006 pursuant to execution plea filed by the petitioners. But before that in 2002 the possessory rights regarding half of the ground floor were alienated in favour of Ajay Kumar Jain. It was done just around the time when the appellate authority under the Rent Act gave its verdict against Jai Pal Singh Sibia.

Justice Grover asserted: “The timing of subrogation assumes significance to show the malicious intent of the contemner as evidently he was apprehending an adverse view from the court and thus, decided to capitalise on the situation to create a lease in favour of Ajay Kumar Jain, who was in possession of SCO Number 321 in his own independent right.”

“In this way, he gave an access to the entire ground portion of SCO 321-322 to Ajay Kumar Jain, who was already the occupant of SCO 321 as a tenant under the petitioners. To compound the situation for the petitioners further, the occupant of the premises Ajay Kumar Jain defaulted in payment of rent/mesne profits and deliberately created a further confusion about its rate.” Justice Grover asserted.

Virtually passing strictures, Justice Grover said: “This court wonders and marvels at the depravity and cunningness of contemner Jai Pal Singh Sibia, who in collusion with Ajay Kumar Jain, the other contemner, has virtually hijacked the building and forced the petitioners into a deplorable state, of seeing their property being enjoyed by the usurpers.”

“One cannot help comparing the respondents to brigands, who scourge not the forest but jungles of concrete, masquerading as well-heeled gentlemen, craftily depriving people of their assets often wittingly and unwittingly aided by the blunted processes of law,” he added.

Justice Grover said: “I am convinced that it is a case where the law has been flouted with impunity to deprive a person of his property and the fruits thereof. The courts can never condone an act of blatant usurpation of property and naked aggression towards the owner by a trespasser riding presumably on what he perceives to be the deficiencies of law.”

“Ajay Kumar Jain would thus vacate the premises described as SCO 322 forthwith. The Executing Court is directed to retrieve the possession from him and restore the same to the petitioners instantaneously through the help of police unless the contemners volunteer to hand over the possession themselves within a period of one week from the date of passing of the order.”

Chandigarh, March 20
Less than a year after a city resident was crushed under a CTU bus in Sector 10, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the payment of monetary assistance to her children by the seventh of every month.

“For the amount to be deposited by Union Territory, Chandigarh, is concerned, the same shall be done by the seventh of each month in advance,” the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Arun Palli asserted.

The Bench also directed the release of the amount for the welfare of children through maternal grandmother.

The direction came after amicus curiae or a friend of the court Onkar Singh Batalvi pointed out that the banks were not releasing the amount as guardian had not been appointed for the minor children. Batalvi also assured the court that he would ‘periodically check to ensure that the funds are being utilised for the welfare of the children’.

Before parting with the orders, the Bench asserted: “The amicus curiae will himself monitor the same and in case of any difficulty, leave is granted to approach the court again.”

Sharmila was crushed by a CTU bus in Sector 10 on May 7 last year. The police allegedly failed to rush the injured woman to the hospital just about 100 meters away, as the SHO reached the spot two-hour late. Sharmila’s husband too had died in October, 2012, due to the alleged negligence of Panchkula police, which delayed timely medical assistance.

The Chandigarh police has already placed its own personnel in dock for negligence in the accident case. In a status report submitted before the High Court, the Chandigarh police claimed that no less than seven cops had been indicted for negligence, including women constables and an assistant sub-inspector. The status report also suggested the initiation of action against them.

Batalivi had earlier told the court that Sharmila was taking care of both the children after her husband’s death. She had also taken up the issue of compensation for the negligent death of her husband. “Now both the kids has become orphan on account of negligence on the part of Chandigarh and Panchkula authorities, the concerned governments should not only provide them monetary assistance but should also secure some job for them for their survival in future,” he had submitted. — TNS

Panchkula, March 20
A man was killed when he was hit by a speeding truck at the main bazaar in Pinjore while he was crossing the road last night.

The deceased identified as Shiv Kumar (54), who was posted as a sub-inspector with the Panchkula police, had got down from his car when the incident took place. The truck driver fled from the spot.

The deceased was rushed to a private hospital from where he was further referred to Civil Hospital in Kalka where he was declared brought dead.

Joginder Singh, the investigating officer (IO) who reached the spot, said the victim suffered serious injuries on his chest leading to his death.

Incidentally, the accident took place in the same area and in a similar manner where a man and his granddaughter was crushed to death by a speeding truck while they were crossing the road. The child had got down the school bus when the two were hit.

The victim was a resident of Pinjore. He is survived by a son and two daughters.

The police said a case had been registered at the Pinjore police station and teams had been dispatched to nab the driver.

The body was handed over to the family after the postmortem.

Chandigarh, March 20
The Chandigarh Police arrested the owner of Hotel Altius, Industrial Area, Phase-II, today for disobeying the orders of the UT Administration and serving liquor to customers at the hotel's discotheque.

The police said the hotel owner, Gundeep Singh, a resident of Sector 15, was arrested for operating the discotheque till late in the night and for serving liquor to the customers.

Police sources stated that the hotel owner had the permission to open the disc till 1 am only, but the disc was found open at 1.30 am.

A case under Section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the IPC and the Excise Act has been registered at Sector 31 police station.

Chandigarh, March 20
Cricket team of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) defeated India Bulls by 42 runs to book their berth in semifinals of the ongoing CII-ATS Corporate Cricket Cup, here today.

The team will face PGI, which defeated Kudos Chemie by 29 runs to become the second semifinalist. In the second semifinals, Placement Guru will face Fiat Metro Motors.

In the first match, CII after electing to bat first, posted a total of 145 runs in the allotted 20 overs.

In reply, India Bulls tried hard however, they could manage to score only 103 runs in 20 overs.

In the second quarterfinal match, after electing to bat first, PGI scored 141 runs. The Kudos side, in their chase, bundled out for 112 in 19.2 overs.

In the other quarterfinals, Placement Guru defeated Chandigarh Police by 7 wickets. Electing to bat first, Chandigarh Police scored 133 runs. The Placement Guru team chased down the target in 16.4 overs.

In the last match, Fiat Metro Motors defeated Dell India Limited by 6 wickets. The latter posted 127 runs while the winning side achieved the target in 17 overs.

Earlier, Raj Singh (60 off 57 ) and Parmod Kumar (12 off 6) helped Dell India to achieve the total. For Fiat, Sunil scalped 3 for 21. In reply, the Fiat side won the match with Jagjit scoring 36 off 23 while Mandeep scoring 22 off 11. For Dell, Saharsh Kapoor took 2 wickets. 

Chandigarh, March 20
Local carrom player Tuba Sehar of St Stephen’s School stood fourth in the 43rd Senior National and Inter-State Carrom Championship, concluded recently in Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) from March 9 to 14.

Giving her best, Tuba made her entry in the semifinals of the women’s singles category. However, she faced a defeat against national-cum- world champion Rashmi Kumari in two straight games by 05-25 and 05-25.

Earlier, Tuba defeated her opponents Medha (LIC), Khushbu Jain (Uttar Pradesh), former national champion Swaranlath (CAG) and former world champion G Ravathy.

In the quarterfinals she outclassed Kajal (PSB) by 25-08, 07-13 and 22-18. Playing against Kavitha Somanchi (RBI), Tuba went down fighting by 22-25, 23-22 and 23-14.

In team’s championship, Chandigarh women’s team secured the fourth place. In the league matches Chandigarh beat Pondicherry and Odissa while in the quarterfinals, Chandigarh thumped down Andhra Pradesh.

In the semifinals, Tamil Nadu halted the winning streak of Chandigarh by 01-02. Later, Chandigarh went down against Maharashtra by 01-02. 

Chandigarh, March 20
The four-day coaching clinic for ‘O’ level cricket coaches started today at the cricket stadium of the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) in Mohali.

It was attended by 18 male coaches and four female coaches under the supervision of Daljit Singh, director cricket academy, along with BCCI coaches Yoginder Puri, Munish Bali, Dr Satbir Singh and Dr Nishant.

MP Pandove, honorary secretary of the PCA, said, “A player, who had the correct technique of bowling, will face fewer problems of back injuries and a batsman with correct techniques would last longer in his playing career. These coaches should learn such basics to impart their knowledge further to junior level players,” said Pandove.

He also informed that PCA was very serious regarding the up gradation of women’s cricket in the state for which six women academies have been setup. — TNS